Shield Caster

The technology of the Shield Caster falls carefully between the arcane and the mechanical. Only the gifted engineers of the Order of Redoubt maintain the secret of its construction and maintenance. Each user is involved in the production of the device and has it tailored to their desires and strengths. 

Where some agents may favor religious representation or a family's coat of arms, others may opt for non-reflective surfaces or bladed edges along non-adorned surfaces. No matter the appearance of the device, all serve its agent with equal capacity. With specially forged metals and crafted leathers, the device weighs little more than 2 or 3 pounds and enchantments serve to generate as much comfort as possible. The shape and size of the shield varies as each is customized to the specific requirements of the wielder as they work with the skilled engineers of the order to craft the perfect device for their use. 

Once a champion is chosen, the device is crafted and magically bound to their arm. Unlike regular shields, the device cannot be removed from the bracer or the arm of the wielder. The entire device has been encased in powerful enchantments that resist all but the most powerful dispel effects. The device remains inert until the wielder's body and soul are strong enough to power and channel the device. 

When stowed, the device folds down to a minimally obstructive size that frees the user's shield hand to execute actions normally. Rumor has it that the engineers have mastered the use of pocket-planes to store the mechanisms allowing for such light weight and ease of use.

When deployed, the device springs open and takes the form of a shield. Unique to the deployed form is a crystalline structure in the middle of the shield that is not visible when the shield is stowed. This crystal is bound to the soul of the agent and is capable of retaining kinetic, arcane, or divine energies indefinitely. Typically, the shield will consist of two greater structures that rest along the inner and outer forearm leaving the shield-core exposed between the large plates. Attempts to touch the crystal are met with a powerful resistant force that intensifies as more energy is used to strike the shield. 

The Shield Caster functions like a normal shield with a benefit of +2 to AC. This bonus applies even when stowed as the protective enchantments cause the device to spring open when the user experiences an instinctive reaction to danger. You lose the ability to equip other shields once you equip the Shield Caster for the first, and last, time. The Shield Caster is deployed and stowed as a free action.

The Shield Caster has the ability to inherit enchantments placed on other shields. While in possession of an enchanted shield, you can spend an hour allowing the Shield Caster to permanently consume the enchantment and exhibit the effects. The enchanted shield is not destroyed in this process but the enchantment is permanently removed. The Shield Caster can only possess the attributes of one shield at a time. New enchantments can be consumed to overwrite existing enchantments. 

Shield Casting

Starting at level 3, your Shield Caster springs to life at your command. You gain the ability to store energy in the shield-core as you use it to defend yourself.

Because it is bound to the strength of your soul, the shield-core’s charge capacity is equal to your proficiency modifier. You cannot overcharge your core and there is no penalty for continuing to block without discharging.   

The shield-core is charged by mitigating force. Each time you take damage the force of the attack is stored in the shield-core and generates a single charge. You also gain a charge if you use the Shield Caster to prevent damage that would have normally been taken, such as with the Shield Master feat. The shield-core glows with increasing intensity as it gathers more charges.

When taking the attack action, you can use an attack, or extra attack gained from the Extra Attack feature, to slam the Shield Caster into a single target and fully discharge the shield-core. The discharge is a product of manually triggering a mechanism within the overall device. Failing to hit your target will still result in discharging your shield-core with no damage dealt.

The damage for each core discharged is 1d4 force damage.

Critical Block

Starting at level 7, when you are targeted by a melee or spell attack, you can use your reaction to attempt to directly charge your shield-core. Roll an attack using your proficiency and strength modifiers. If you roll higher than the incoming attack you deftly position your shield to effectively absorb the energy and gain charges equal to half of your proficiency modifier. Nothing happens if you fail the contested roll.

If the block is successful and the incoming attack roll is higher than your AC you take half damage and none if the attack was lower than your AC.

The damage for each core discharged is increased to 1d6 force damage.

Ranged Discharge

Starting at level 10, you can use an action to discharge your core at a distant target up to 60 feet away. Make the ranged attack using your proficiency and strength modifiers as controlling the device's recoil is a physically demanding task.

The damage for each core discharged is increased to 1d8 force damage.

Stunning Blast

Starting at level 15, you make a special effort to discharge your shield-core into a weak point on a single target. Roll for an attack; If you successfully connect and your target fails a CON save (DC = 8 + STR Mod + Proficiency) they will be stunned until the end of your next turn. The target takes the damage on a fail or a save normally. 

The damage for each core discharged is increased to 1d10 force damage.

Persistent Charge

Starting at 18th level, you can trigger a persistence mechanism within the shield-core to deliver multiple devastating blasts within a turn.

Using a bonus action, you engage the persistence mechanism. During this effect your shield-core becomes locked in a temporal state of discharge by pulling the required energy from your soul. You gain the ability to use Shield Core Blast as often as you like during this turn. You roll each attack normally and this effect can benefit extra actions gained from features or spells like Action Surge and Haste.

At the end of your turn your are overcome with fatigue and are considered stunned until the end of your next turn as your soul recovers from the stress of the energy outpouring.

The damage for each core discharged is increased to 1d12 force damage.